The Unseen Guest: The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 3

Since returning from London, the three Incorrigible children and their plucky governess, Miss Penelope Lumley, have been exceedingly busy. Despite their wolfish upbringing, the children have taken up bird-watching, with no unfortunate consequences - yet. And a perplexing gift raises hard questions about how Penelope came to be left at the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females and why her parents never bothered to return for her. But hers is not the only family mystery to solve....

The Interrupted Tale: The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book IV

Of especially naughty children it is sometimes said, "They must have been raised by wolves." The Incorrigible children actually were. Turning sixteen is a bittersweet occasion for Miss Penelope Lumley: Her parents remain disappointingly absent, and her perfectly nice young playwright friend, Simon Harley-Dickinson, has not been heard from since he went to visit his ailing great-uncle Pudge in the old sailors' home in Brighton.

Karen H. Woodward says:"This is a great series for middle school students"

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book V

Lord Fredrick Ashton may not feel ready to be a father, but with a little Ashton on the way he's sure about one thing: The wolfish curse on his family must end soon, before the child is born. Penelope willingly takes on the challenge; when Lady Constance's doctor prescribes a seaside holiday, Penelope jumps at the chance to take the three Incorrigible children to Brighton, where she hopes to persuade the old sailor Pudge to reveal what he knows about the Ashton curse.

Magic Marks the Spot: The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates, Book 1

To escape from a life of petticoats and politeness, Hilary answers a curious advertisement for a pirate crew and suddenly finds herself swept up in a seafaring adventure that may or may not involve a map without an X, a magical treasure that likely doesn't exist, a rogue governess who insists on propriety, a crew of misfit scallywags, and the most treacherous - and unexpected - villain on the High Seas. Will Hilary find the treasure in time? Will she become a true pirate after all? And what will become of the gargoyle?

Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos

Theodosia Throckmorton has her hands full at the Museum of Legends and Antiquities in London. Her father may be head curator, but it is Theoand only Theowho is able to see all the black magic and ancient curses that still cling to the artifacts in the museum. Sneaking behind her fathers back, Theo uses old, nearly forgotten Egyptian magic to remove the curses and protect her father and the rest of the museum employees from the ancient, sinister forces that lurk in the museums dark hallways.

Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris

Theodosia Throckmorton is in a fix. Allowed to attend a reception given by one of the directors of her parents museum, she stumbles across Mr. Tetley of the British Museum in most unusual circumstances! Since Theo has last seen him in a showdown in an ancient Egyptian tomb, his reappearance could mean only one thing: the Serpents of Chaos are back.

Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus

Being able to detect black magic isnt all tea and crumpetsand for Theodosia Throckmorton, it can be a decidedly tricky business! When Sticky Will drags Theo to a magic show featuring the Great Awi Bubu, she quickly senses there is more to the magician than he lets on, setting in motion a chain of events she never could have bargained for.

The Frog Princess

Princess Emma will do just about anything to get out of marrying the self-centered Prince Jorge. So when she meets a frog named Eadric who claims, of course, to be a prince, she decides to give him a kiss and see what happens. Bad idea. The frog stays a frog, and worse still, Emma turns into a frog herself. It turns out only the person who cast the spell can break it, so Emma and Eadric are soon hopping along trying to find the witch who can make them human again.

The best stories pull readers in and keep them turning the pages, eager to discover more—to find the answer to the question: "And then what happened?" The true hallmark of great literature is great imagination, and as Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio prove with this outstanding collection, when it comes to great fiction, all genres are equal.

The Mysterious Benedict Society

ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD LOOKING FOR SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES? Dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests. (And you, dear listener, can test your wits right alongside them.) Only four children - Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance - succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete.

A Rather Lovely Inheritance

This is your life Penny Nichols...Penny Nichols is a historical researcher working on a big-budget film in the south of France when she gets an urgent call. Her Aunt Penelope has just died, and Penny's presence is required in London for the reading of the will. With only a slim recollection of her eccentric aunt, Penny is astonished to learn that not only is she the bona fide heiress - but she's also been invited to put her research skills to work.

Pieces and Players

Thirteen extremely valuable pieces of art have been stolen from one of the most secretive museums in the world. A Vermeer has vanished. A Manet is missing. And nobody has any idea where they and the other eleven artworks might be...or who might have stolen them. The Players - Calder, Petra, and Tommy - are no strangers to heists and puzzles. Now they've been matched with two new sleuths - Zoomy, a very small boy with very thick glasses, and Early, a girl who treasures words...

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy

This summer the Penderwick sisters have a wonderful surprise: a holiday on the grounds of a beautiful estate called Arundel. Soon they are busy discovering the summertime magic of Arundel's sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts. But the best discovery of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel's owner, who quickly proves to be the perfect companion for their adventures.

The Magician's Elephant

When a fortuneteller’s tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller’s mysterious answer (An elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that Peter can hardly dare to believe it. But it is - all of it - true.

White Christmas with a Wobbly Knee: The Belchester Chronicles, Book 2

The second in the series featuring a madcap pair of amateur sleuths and a delightful outpouring of upper-class English eccentricities - with the odd murder thrown in. Lady Amanda Golightly, eccentric resident of the sprawling Belchester Towers, has a new venture: guided tours. To celebrate she invites a horde of old chums to a trial run at Christmas, complete with tasty nibbles. However, things don't go to plan - a dead guest is discovered slumped on the library table.

Timeless Tales of Beatrix Potter: Peter Rabbit and Friends

Beatrix Potter's amazing universe of animals dressed in human clothing has taught and entertained children for over a century. This volume brings together 21 of Potter's tales and verses in one audiobook. Hear Peter Rabbit outwit old Mr. McGregor, and Squirrel Nutkin come within a tail's length of being an owl's dinner. Listen as a family of mice save the kind tailor of Gloucester, and as Peter and Benjamin Bunny battle a barn cat. Learn how one fierce rabbit is set on the road to honesty.

Ms. Rapscott's Girls

Nestled inside a lighthouse, Great Rapscott School for the Daughters of Busy Parents takes its motto from Amelia Earhart: Adventure is worthwhile in itself. Headmistress Ms. Rapscott couldn't agree more, but her students, who are shipped to the school in boxes, could use a little convincing. Still, despite their initial reluctance, the students are soon soaring through the sky and getting lost on purpose.

Ember Falls: The Green Ember Series, Book 2

The stage is set. It's war. Morbin Blackhawk, slaver and tyrant, threatens to destroy the rabbit resistance forever. Heather and Picket are two young rabbits improbably thrust into pivotal roles. The fragile alliance forged around the young heir seems certain to fail. Can Heather and Picket help rescue the cause from a certain, sudden defeat?

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

Kyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative game maker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library. Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of the first 12 kids in the library for an overnight of fun, food, and lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors remain locked. Kyle and the other winners must solve every clue and every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route.

Strangeways to Oldham: The Belchester Chronicles, Book 1

Lady Amanda Golightly of Belchester Towers is a person in complete contrast to the stereotypical image of her upper-class breeding. She is short, portly, and embarrassingly forthright. On a visit to a local nursing home, she unexpectedly discovers a long-lost friend, Hugo Cholmondley-Crichton-Crump - and stumbles upon a murder. The pair turn to sleuthing after Lady Amanda reports her appalling discovery to the local police inspector, who treats her as a silly old biddy with an overactive imagination.

The Green Ember

Heather and Picket are extraordinary rabbits with ordinary lives until calamitous events overtake them, spilling them into a cauldron of misadventures. They discover that their own story is bound up in the tumult threatening to overwhelm the wider world.

The Island of Dr. Libris

Billy's spending the summer in a lakeside cabin that belongs to the mysterious Dr. Libris. But something strange is going on. Besides the security cameras everywhere, there's Dr. Libris' private bookcase. Whenever Billy opens the books inside, he can hear sounds coming from the island in the middle of the lake. The clash of swords. The twang of arrows. Sometimes he can even feel the ground shaking. It's almost as if the stories he's reading are coming to life!

Making Mistakes on Purpose: Ms. Rapscott's Girls, Book 2

Great Rapscott School for the Daughters of Busy Parents is not your typical boarding school. Students arrive in boxes, birthday cake is served for breakfast, and two very talented corgis assist the rather quirky headmistress. This semester the girls will learn how to get to The Top, but the semester is not off to a good start. One of the girls doesn't make it back to school, and when her friends try to rescue her, they wind up at the Bottom of the Barrel. Luckily Ms. Rapscott knows that learning to fail is the secret to Going Far in life.

In the Market for Murder: Lady Hardcastle, Book 2

Spring, 1909, and Lady Hardcastle, amateur sleuth and all-round eccentric, is enjoying a well-deserved rest. But a week after a trip to the cattle market, Spencer Caradine, a local farmer, turns up dead in the pub, face-down in his beef and mushroom pie. Once again, it is up to Lady Hardcastle and her maid, Florence, to solve the case.

Publisher's Summary

Of especially naughty children, it is sometimes said: “They must have been raised by wolves.” The Incorrigible children actually were. Discovered in the forests of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary children: Alexander keeps his siblings in line with gentle nips; Cassiopeia has a bark that is (usually) worse than her bite; and Beowulf is alarmingly adept at chasing squirrels.

Luckily, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess. Only fifteen years old and a graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, Penelope embraces the challenge of her new position. Though she is eager to instruct the children in Latin verbs and the proper use of globes, first she must eliminate their canine tendencies.But mysteries abound at Ashton Place: Who are these three wild creatures? Why does Old Timothy, the coachman, lurk around every corner? Will Penelope be able to civilize the Incorrigibles in time for Lady Constance’s holiday ball? And what on earth is a schottische?

Penelope is no stranger to mystery, as her own origins are also cloaked in secrecy. But as Agatha Swanburne herself once said, “Things may happen for a reason, but that doesn’t mean we know what the reason is—at least, not yet.

READ.IF IT WAS EAST TO RESIST IT WOULD NOT BE CALLED CHOCOLATE CAKE.This book was excellent. It was beautifully written. Kids will love it, adults will love it even more and dog lovers will love it. DOING YOUR BEST IS THE BEST YOU CAN DO. If you thought that the best commercial of the super bowl was the Budweiser dog and horses, cause you loved that warm feeling, that is the same feeling you will get from this. If you did not like that commercial well, NO HOPELESS CASE IS TOTALLY HOPELESS. It is witty, there are some LOL moments, it is smart (is that the same as witty?), it is touching, it's educational, it will make your love life better, it will get rid of warts, listening will help you lose weight, you will be a better parent, it will make you rich, etc...

WHEN THE IMPOSSIBLE BECOMES MERELY DIFFICULT, THAT'S WHEN YOU KNOW YOU HAVE WON.Every book I read, no matter how much I like it, I always find something negative to say, just so you know I am paying attention and to warn you. I have nothing bad to say about this book.

TO BE CONTINUEDThis is a series and when this story ends there will still be some unsolved mysteries. I don't care I was going to get the next book anyway.

This is my first time to hear this narrator and damn she is good. Beware, if you are one of those who does not like the narrator to get dramatic, this woman goes all out. I personally think it made the book twice as good and it was excellent to begin with.

This book, like all really great children's literature, is enjoyable for adults as well as children. Its a somewhat gothic, and very intelligently funny, mystery. I didn't mind too much that it was only the first installment of the story, but I am on the edge of my seat to find out what happens next!

Also, Katherine Kellgren's reading once again added an extra layer of fabulousness to a great story. She does accents excellently, and portrays the full range of emotions of the characters with great energy & subtlety. This was much more than worth the cost of a credit.

My children are 7 and 9 (boy and girl) - we all enjoyed listening to this audio book, which we found hilarous at times. The narration was brilliant. We have bought the second book with great expectation. Highly recommended.

This book is not just for children! I am in my late-twenties, and I am hooked on this series. Penelope Lumley is such a likeable protagonist, and the Incorrigible children are such interesting characters. I highly recommend this series.

I had planned to write to encourage any adult who likes Joan Aiken, E.Nesbit, Monty Python (the videos), & T.Pratchett to try this superior series. It's not particularly like any of their works - well maybe Aiken's "Serial Garden" - but plays to the same part of the brain through its overall sense of the absurd and superior wordplay. Not sure how it would plan with most YA readers, but seems great for the 7-12 year old set - and their parents - since it works extremely well at both levels. I'm afraid to give any details because almost anything I would say would be a spoiler - just trust me that by piling hackneyed formula upon formula, and throwing into this in a set of totally recognizable stereotypical characters, and a great deal of slowly unfolding - and growing as it unfolds - mystery, the author creates an amazing and extremely amusing jumble. The reader is perfect - ordinarily I prefer deeper-voiced narrators, but I can't imagine this book without her rendition of the heroine's thought processes and the wonderful "voices" of the children themselves. Can't wait for the next one in the series!

What did you love best about The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place?

The story is cute, the protagonists delightfully portrayed, and the dilemma enticing.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

It was only to be expected, considering the lead up to it, but satisfying nonetheless.

What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?

Ms. Kellgren was absolutely perfect to narrate this story. She caught the characters so well, and managed to convey the humor with just the right degree of understatement.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I certainly giggled a good deal!

Any additional comments?

For those who love the Lemony Snicket "A Series of Unfortunate Events" books, this is a wonderful series to read--similar humor and unbelievably events over which to suspend one's credulity. Delightful!

My family listened to this on a recent road trip (Mom, Dad, 11 y.o. boy and 9 y.o. girl). Mom, Dad and daughter liked it, but son thought it was too old-fashioned. The accent of the reader was a little bit hard for the kids to understand over the car noise, but was much easier for them when we finished the last hour listening at home.

This is one of the strangest books I've read in a long time. There really isn't anything to compare it to. The book synopsis hits all the high points and tells it like it is. Every once in a while you come across a book that you think people should read and yet, no matter how hard you try to describe it in a manner so that it will sound appealing, you just can't. That's this book. It's a little slow in the way that first in a series tends to be, giving background and starting to foreshadow. It's a good book. The narration is great, but then, I am a fan of Kellgren's. She seems to be one of those narrators that you either love or hate. If you a are a fan of weird and/or a fan of Kellgren's, get this book.

Very julie Andrews-esque voice when being narrator (my daughter and I enjoyed this but it irritated my husband). She does fabulous voices for all the characters, especially the wolfishness of the children.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

The occasional americanisms (gotten, sidewalk) jarred a little in a story set in a past Britain but this a very minor niggle for a cracking story that was brilliantly performed.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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